Advisory Council

A surprising debate took place last Tuesday at Qatar Advisory council calling for stringent punishment to be given to Qatar-based journalists who write against the ruler, national security, religion and the Constitution.
Khalid Abdul Rahim Al Sayed (the peninsula) questioned the proceeding on his editorial yesterday
"The Emir, His Highness, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, declared the media free in the country in 1995 and with the launch of Al Jazeera, we have shown the world that Qatar is a country which allows different opinions to be heard.

Media freedom in Qatar was the subject of a heated debate during the scheduled weekly session of the Advisory Council on Monday, according to the local Arabic press.
Initiated on the request of 24 members, the focus of the debate was on the council’s report on the issue of media freedom in the country.
It was pointed out that some people had been “bought” in to write slanted reports and analyses against Qatar and its achievements. Their reports lack “accuracy and honesty of statement”.
....“We are not against media freedom but there are some red lines that should not be crossed. Those who dare to do so should be punished severely,” said another member Khalid Rashed al-Labda.

Couldn't verify the veracity. Has anybody read about this anywhere? Will be good for us expatriates working for the govt. and the consumers in general

Ministry told to control price rise

Several members of the Advisory Council and government officials have expressed the fear that the recently formulated law on human resources development will not benefit government employees if the prices of commodities and the general cost of living keep rising, says a report published in a local Arabic daily.
The new law provides for a tangible rise in pay scales and allowances for government employees as an incentive to improve the quality of work in the government departments.
The decision to increase the pay scales was taken after large scale representations from the government employees.

Landlord’s right to demand eviction gets council nod

By Nour Abuzant
The Advisory Council yesterday approved a proposal allowing landlords the right to demand the eviction of tenants “in case they needed the premises for themselves or for their kin.”
The proposal will be discussed now by the Cabinet.
Earlier, the council’s legal and legislative committee convened three times to discuss the proposal and the Minister of state for cabinet affairs, HE Sheikh Nasser bin Mohamed bin Abdulaziz al-Thani attended one of the meetings. Sources said the minister “supported” the draft saying the rent law of 2008 did not tackle the issue because there was an acute shortage of premises at that time.

http://www.thepenins...

Web posted at: 2/24/2009 2:33:0
Source ::: The PENINSULA / By MOBIN PANDIT
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The Advisory Council is discussing a proposal moved by a member suggesting that owners of properties be given the right to evict a tenant before the end of the rent contract if the premises are needed by them or for their immediate family members for personal use.